Chapter 44: Traveling to Selene - The End of The Incident
The defeat and death of the leader left the wolves in a state of intense confusion.
In addition to "Mimicry," Ovech possessed the skill of "Pack Control" which it used to keep the other races under his control. It was much stronger than mere wolves and its dominance was overwhelming. With their deaths and the disappearance of their skills, the wolves abandoned their boss and began to flee.
What is going on? There are very few signs of life in the forest now. I think this is okay, but maybe we should reduce it a little more.
As they prepare to give chase, they sense Pidosios and the others approaching.
Immediately, the forest glowed lapis lazuli.
In the blink of an eye, a net of magical power was built up and entangled in it. Then the wolves stopped moving.
We fired arrows in rapid succession. And as soon as the chains of magic disappeared "Sword of the Deep Silence" members leaped out of the darkness and cut down the stalled wolves.
Is it the magic of Pidosios? It's a non-attribute intermediate magic, "Binding Chain". It has a wide range and can he can use it in a variety of ways. They didn't approach us while we were fighting is they can't distinguish friend from foe. Even if so, it seems useful. I'll learn it someday.
"I'm late!"
"That's fine. That's enough. The rest are these."
I chant "Firebolt" in multiple chants.
I fire multiple chants of "Firebolt" at the fleeing child wolves.
Several of them screamed and either died or lay dying.
I guess the smaller the opponent, the lower the hit rate. I need more training.
"The one that just attacked me is Ovech's cub. I want you to finish him off."
The "Sword of Silence" was gaping open-mouthed.
Oh, shit.
"…… I want to ask you something…?"
"Don't pry. You're an adventurer. You'll get away with it."
I urged Pidosios and the others to go up to the tree to get Tess.
Tess looked up at me in disbelief, perhaps relieved that the wolves were gone.
"Thanks for waiting. Shall we go back to the village?"
Tess nodded repeatedly.
Are you okay?
She didn't seem shaken, but I thought I'd take her home anyway.
When I jumped down to pick them up, the "Sword of the Deep Silence" had finished cleaning up Ovech's child.
"Oh, you found it."
"Oh, dear."
I put Tess down and treated her with a healing potion while examining the wound on her shoulder.
It was a bite wound. Because the wolves bite her shoulder, I guess she has been brought here as food. The forest around here is not deep. The herd is too large compared to the amount of prey. Ovech must have maintained its herd by preserving and distributing the food so its herd would not go to waste. Maybe he was not a bad leader.
The rest of the group, except for Pidosios, began to search for anything that might still be hiding. A quick look reveals nothing in particular. There might be some relics of the bandits, but it is not very promising with the escapees.
"So, what was that just now? Was that original magic? How did you even recognize the little thing?"
"I can use basic "Appraisal'". The rest is classified."
"That alone is enviable – but okay. I'm not sure that's it."
The other is confidential.
He didn't have any malicious intent, just curiosity.
"It's classified, don't probe me. More importantly, your magic was powerful too. Why didn't you use it in the last fight?"
"You know what, think about whether you'll fall for it."
The "Binding Chain" has a wide range, but there was a slight time lag before the chain spread out. It is possible to escape from the range if you're fast enough. It is certainly pointless.
"Alter-sama, what about the bandits?"
Efurd asked.
Pidosios looked down at the bandits and frowned.
"Wow, that's gruesome. I thought they were survivors, but they're being kept alive."
Surrounded by the giant Dailas and the others, the bandit was slumped to the ground, feeling intimidated and relieved to be saved.
"Is there a bounty on that guy?"
"He was almost dead in Weld, so I guess he'll get it. I'm going to collect it anyway."
Efurd and Dailas tied him up, and Dailas carried him away.
◇◇◇◇
The first thing to do is to get a good look at the forest.
I strolled around the village and then returned to everyone.
The joyous reunion was long over, and Tess was flailing her arms and legs as she regaled her parents with something. She was explaining my fight. Ronnie and Miranda were listening happily. I used a lot of abstract expressions, so there seemed to be no need to worry about any unnecessary information being leaked.
Roland and the others approached my figure.
"You're back at last?"
"Is everything all right?"
"No problem. I'm sure you've been beaten up pretty bad, though.
"It's just a scratch. I had to do it this way to get it out."
"Battle Axe of Destruction" that I had heard beside me had already been doing their stuff.
"Battle Axe of Destruction" and the "Sword of the Deep Silence" that I already knew were listening beside me, chatting and dispersing.
I call Ronnie and the others and tell them to stay at the village chief's house for a while.
He wants to know why, but I just say, "You'll find out soon enough," and send them on their way.
This is all I have to do is clean up the mess, but I guess they're still aware of me.
No sooner is the siege complete than the sheep start to make noise.
It quickly becomes a panic, and as many as a hundred sheep run around the fence.
"Surround them! Don't let any of them escape!"
We have no choice. We just prayed that we got no damage.
In the heat of the moment, one of the sheep crashed into the fence. It rolled out, snapping a board.
"No, Dylus, to the left!"
I take my aim away from the tumbling sheep and shoot the next one right between the eyes.
The lamb rolls to the ground and turns reddish black.
With death in their eyes, the sheep are even more agitated. This was no panic. It was a stampede.
One after another, the fences, were destroyed, and the sheep jumped out all at once.
"Danil, far right! Salma front second!"
I jumped on Roland's shoulder and sent out a command.
Swords fluttered, arrows flew, and magic was cast.
Each time, all that lay down were lambs. Their soft wool was writhing, trying to resist death.
When the flood of lambs finally subsided, eight little Ovechs exposed their corpse hollows.
I didn't expect all of them to be lambs. But they were troublesome. If Neil didn't notice them during the birth, does it mean they mimic in the belly? I didn't know such monsters existed. Livestock farming is a deadly business.
Well – it's time to hit the main dish.
I jumped down from Roland.
In the center of the fence, a large sheep stood firm.
It had been staring at me since the beginning of the battle. It must have understood who was in command, even if it couldn't understand the words. But I thought it going to take advantage of the situation and escape, but it was all over it.
Maybe it's resentment for killing its child, or anger for destroying its precious herd.
Maybe it simply gave up. Being too smart is not always a good thing.
When I pulled out my Rhino Sword, the sheep leaned forward to brace themselves.
It's bigger than the one that dominated the wolves. This is the one that started it all.
I activate "Fast Movement".
With a puff of exhalation, I leap over the broken fence and close in.
Tentacles, disguised as long-haired, float up in all directions.
You're one of them?
Pouring in magical power, I chanted multiple "Earth Shield".
The lower half of his body became rugged stone armor.
I then flicked off the claws and tentacles, kicking them away at top speed.
Ovech, which had crashed into a fence, managed to get up, but it stomped on its head, blocking its movement.
I then swung Kousai Sword and chopped off its head.
I looked into the fourth eye and watched silently as the life disappeared.
I was stunned at the end.
Looking back, I saw sheep galloping across the meadow, their long hair fluttering and shining in the moonlight.
Is it my imagination that they look a little happy?
I nodded, taking in the somewhat funny scene.
"All taken care of."
With that, everyone lowered their swords.
At that moment, Neil hears the commotion and rushes back.
He just gaped at the sheep running around.
◇◇◇◇
After that, all the villagers joined together to retrieve the sheep.
We tried to help them, but they seemed to recognize us as scary people and ran away when we showed ourselves. We had no choice but to leave him to it and returned to the inn to sleep.
The next morning, when I went to the dining room, the village head and Neil were waiting for me.
When they saw me, they thank me as if they were about to get down on their knees. Ronnie was smiling, so it seems they were doing the same to the others.
The search for bandits turned into the extermination of wolves, Tess went missing, and when it was all over, it turned into the extermination of the monsters lurking in the village. How could the situation have changed so rapidly, even just by chance?
I told the village chiefs not to worry about it and calmed them down for the time being.
"The livestock industry is still in trouble," he said. I had no idea there were demons like that."
Ronnie muttered to no one as he brought his breakfast to his mouth.
Danil heard this and crossed his arms with a difficult expression.
"Is this the first time you've seen Ovech?"
"Yes, it is."
"I think this one is a rather rare case."
He urges me onward with his eyes.
"Ovech are monsters known to take over herds. They impersonate wild deer, cattle, or other quadrupeds, but I've never heard of them getting into livestock."
"Really? I thought you were aware of this and had evacuated the villagers."
Roland shook his head.
"You were the one who told us to expect all eventualities. I heard from Ose that there was a possibility that sheep might be involved, so I just kept my distance just in case."
"I didn't know that. But I didn't see anything unusual about …… that Ovechs."
Unless I was a mutant, its skills were the same as any individual. Maybe it was a rare Ovech that was here, but from what I've heard, it doesn't seem so.
Danil continues as I fret.
"Perhaps we don't know if they mimic livestock. Ovech is a wise monster. They would not choose a place where he could be detected. There are few people and many livestock. And a land where adventurers and other strangers do not come and go."
After hearing that, the village chiefs turn pale.
"I see, so this is exactly the village of Verene."
"Yes. Some of the local villages that have been destroyed in the past, Ovech may have been caused it."
"Oh, wait a minute."
The village chief interrupted hurriedly.
"You have exterminated all of those demons, right?"
"I wonder about that one."
It was Pidosios, the morning's honey wine, who responded.
"After we left Alter in the forest, we found Ovek's carcass. It was a small thing compared to the wolves and their masters here. Whatever it was, it could still be lurking around."
"How was that guy dead?"
"He was killed by wolves. Probably a pack takeover."
Danil nodded his head in agreement.
"That's possible. I heard that Ovek who took over a pack will make the female of the pack give birth to a child. Then the offspring spread around, take over another herd, and expand their influence. But the central point here is livestock. Unlike wild herds, they do not move. The surrounding herds must have been immobilized and fought over each other. By the way, that carcass, was it small? I hear that Ovechs are timid. I have a feeling it was too young to leave the nest."
"That's easy. Witnesses know."
Tess appeared from the end of the hallway.
She seemed to have just woken up. She looks somewhat embarrassed, perhaps because she woke up later than the guests. She has a strong sense of responsibility.
I invite Tess to sit at the table.
When I asked her why she was in the forest, she answered as I had expected.
Neil said that the number of sheep was decreasing, and Tess was counting sheep. That's when she notices a lamb with another pair of eyes peering at us. Ovech must have been nervous about our sniffing around and Tess's sudden behavior.
It was a long way to the village, and the only place to escape was the forest. Tess ran into the forest.
Ovech, a child, could not leave it at that. If the villagers reported it, their presence would be exposed. There was no choice but to go after them and take care of them. But that was Ovech's territory, as he had left the nest earlier. They misunderstood that he had come to take over the herd and killed him. Tess was also captured and brought to the roost as food.
We learned how it happened, but it did not assuage the village chief's fears.
The question was whether they were still lurking.
Danil prefaced his answer with, "I'm just guessing" and said that Ovech's reproduction might be affected by the nature of the herd it has taken over.
Neil told me that the gestation period of the Zunu species is less than six months. Births last from the beginning of the year until about this time, he said. The fact that there has been no direct damage so far, and the fact that the individuals dominating the wolves were adults, suggests that they probably entered the area a year and a half to two years ago.
And from the number of livestock and the density of animals around the village. They concluded that there might be two or three of the Ovech if any.
Naturally, the village chiefs' expressions were dark.
Seeing this, Danil cheered him up.
"Please rest assured. This is a matter to be reported to the guild. They will send an investigation team soon. And if they are still lurking, they will defeat the Ovech. Ovech is not a monster demon and is very careful. If we keep a watchful eye on them and keep a close eye on the sheep, they won't even come close to them."
"We'll take care of it right away. And please report back to the guild."
The village chief, Neil, and Ronnie bowed their heads.
I looked at Tess and saw her hands clasped in her lap.
Perhaps she remembered the horror of yesterday. She was shaking small.
"Are you okay? No wonder you're scared. That's what happened to a girl. You should take it easy and recuperate for a while."
As I said that, Tess's attention suddenly changed.
Then, blushing, she looked me up and down.
"…… I'm a guy."
It takes a while for the meaning of the words to sink in.
Uh …… what did you say? A guy? What did it mean?
I looked over at them with a squeaking motion and they all stood still. Pidosios was dripping mead from his mouth, and Neil the village chief was frozen.
I managed to regain my thoughts and chewed over my statement.
I know that one, I've read about it in the manga. That's the pattern.
"Look, Tess. You know, men have weird things attached to them. You know, the ones that don't grow back with age."
"I know! I've been growing them since birth!"
"…… Really?"
Tess nodded with a bright red face.
"I don't care, be my wife!"
"No!!!"
Bouncing off the hardened air, the son of the village chief intervened. He immediately got rejected.
The exchange was as usual, and finally, everyone began to move.
Markant fussed to get confirmation from Ronnie, and when they learned it was true, they fussed even more.
Salma looks relieved as she pokes Pidosios, who can't handle the situation.
"Oh my God, I thought it was your thing. You can tell if it's a man or a woman by looking at them."
I can't tell by looking, which is why there's such a fuss. What kind of connoisseur are you?
"Why not! If it's a baby, you'll give birth to it!"
"No!"
I don't know his name, I'm not interested, and I don't know what he's talking about.
"I don't know your name, and I'm not interested in you, son of the village chief. You're the real deal, I'll give you that. But hey, no matter how hard you try, men can't have children. You're a man, right?"
"Of course I am! And don't lie to me. Sletzer had a child all by itself!"
Who is that guy?
"Who's that?"
"A pet snail! It gave birth to a bunch of tiny white ones, but they don't have shells yet."
"Yeah, that's not right. Snails can give birth, but they're not the ones that did it. Wash the container immediately. And don't leave the food in it."
The women left the table with disgusted looks as if they had imagined what was going on.
My son was fidgeting with a face that didn't add up.
What is this village? Is it full of people like this? That's why they let strange people in.
Amid the dismay, the Ovech problem is done rest for the time being.
After that, we started packing. Soon it was time to leave.
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